Owen Sound’s Director of Operations John Johnston has retired — but he won’t be going very far.
Johnston has agreed to stay on with the city in a consulting role for the next six months, going over the structure of the operations department and looking for possible efficiencies.
He says it’ll make for a smooth transition as it will allow him to bring the new Director, Brad McRoberts, up to speed.
McRoberts has been the city’s Manager of Special Projects with a focus on the construction of the Regional Recreation Centre.
He’ll continue in that role, but the responsibilities there will diminish over time and McRoberts will be able to devote more of his time to operations.
Johnston has been with the city’s operations department for five years.
Prior to that he was the longtime manager of the Owen Sound PUC. He’s also worked for the city of Barrie and the township of Georgian Bluffs.
Acting City Manager Glen Henry says Johnston has been a valued member of the city’s senior management team and his expertise will be appreciated as he begins his next short-term role.
The 62-year-old Johnston says he and his wife hope to do some travelling once he is finished with his new task.
